Vice President Exempts His Office from the Requirements for Protecting Classified Information

The Oversight Committee has learned that over the objections of the National Archives, Vice President Cheney exempted his office from the presidential order that establishes government-wide procedures for safeguarding classified national security information. The Vice President asserts that his office is not an “entity within the executive branch.”

Rep. Heath Shuler, together with his colleagues in the Blue Dog Coalition, today introduced legislation aimed at strengthening and increasing the transparency of the budget process. The Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 43 fiscally conservative Democrats, collectively crafted the resolution in an effort to begin the process of restoring fiscal accountability in the federal government.

"For the last six years President Bush and the Republicans in Congress recklessly increased spending, while driving our nation deeper into debt than ever before," said Rep. Shuler. "I am committed, along with my Blue Dog colleagues, to restoring fiscal restraint to the federal government. It is time we end this foolish borrow and spend policy once and for all."

Despite being the ranked 324th least effective Representative in the House, Virginia Foxx managed to rack up one the largest mail tabs in the country. Virginia Foxx spent over $325,000 of tax payer money sending mail to her constituents in attempt to explain her increasingly unpopular voting record. This is more than twice as much as the Representative next most abusive of their franking privilege, Patrick McHenry.

The Winston Salem Journal has the story, along with a graphic.

Missing: Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-NC

Age: 70

Last Reported Sighting: None. She called a public hearing for Tuesday in Charlotte to discuss the Navy’s plans to build an outlying landing field in eastern North Carolina. More than 300 people showed up for the meeting, but no Liddy.  When Elizabeth Dole fails to show up at her own meeting, there is a serious problem.  Given that Elizabeth Dole isn't from North Carolina, and rarely visits, there is cause to suspect she may be lost.

Date of Disappearance: 2002 – That’s when she went back to Washington D.C. after visiting North Carolina for election season.

Congressman David Price (NC-04) today urged the Navy to come back to the drawing board with North Carolina officials to find an alternative site for the Outlying Landing Field. In a letter to Navy Secretary Donald Winter, Price wrote that he hopes the Navy will move quickly to avoid a confrontation over the authorization and funding of the OLF as Congress weighs the Navy's request. Price is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

Price's letter further states the Navy's selected site in Washington County "is not a viable option for an OLF because of the threats it would pose to Navy and Marine pilots and aircraft, to local communities, and to the surrounding environment." The letter sites the broad-based opposition to locating the landing strip in proximity to the world renowned Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, including objections from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The text of the letter follows.

N.C. House Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange, today announced the permanent House rules, which once approved by legislators in the coming days, will ensure a more open and democratic process in the House during the 2007-08 session. The new rules package, House Resolution 423, was drafted by the Speaker in consultation with House Rules Committee Chairman Bill Owens, D-Pasquotank, Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, D-Davidson, Minority Leader Skip Stam, R-Wake, and members of the Democratic and Republican caucuses, as well as various advocacy groups.

"As Speaker, I want to ensure greater debate, openness and transparency in the way we do business in the House of Representatives," said Speaker Hackney. "The rules that will govern the House during the next two years will allow us to accomplish our legislative goals regarding education, health care, our economy and other important issues while also strengthening the trust and confidence of the people of North Carolina, which must be our top priority each and every day."

Raleigh- Yesterday, North Carolina Democrats acted swiftly to clean up the culture of corruption in Washington by passing sweeping ethics reforms through the House by a nearly unanimous vote. These reforms will clean up Congress by banning lobbyists' gifts like paid trips and plane rides. Today, Democrats will continue to work hard to pass the American people's agenda, ushering through a "Pay-as-you-go" rule which will help balance the budget and eliminate record deficits that Republicans made their trademark.

"During last year's elections, Democrats pledged to bring real change to Congress so our government can finally put the priorities of the American people first," said North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Jerry Meek. "Democrats are already fulfilling their promise to clean up the culture of corruption by passing real ethics reform and implementing tough measures to balance the federal budget. "